


The finish line

by Bl4ckHunter



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Fix-It, How Crisis should have ended, One-Shot, Other, Ultimate Battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 10:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28616391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bl4ckHunter/pseuds/Bl4ckHunter
Summary: One-shot story. After the Crisis, Barry and Thawne end up in the Speed Force, engaging in their ultimate showdown.
Relationships: Barry Allen/Patty Spivot
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	The finish line

**Author's Note:**

> Something I got after reading The Flash #761-762, which I found intriguing and re-reading The Flash: Rebirth. Takes place post-Crisis (how it should've been, not the clusterfuck we got in the show, screw Guggenheim for the disrespect to Oliver and other DC icons), where Barry during the Crisis ended up trapped in the Speed Force, like in the comic books, since don't get me started on how the Arrowverse version of Crisis treated Oliver like crap and Barry did zilch in the crossover, save for Part 4 with the Speed Force arc, but other than that, he was useless in the crossover.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own DC Comics or the CW TV shows Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl or any other characters or elements pertaining to the mentioned franchises.

Sometimes, it felt like an eternity. Sometimes, it felt like just few brief moments. They were sworn enemies, fighting to death, in the vast space of Speed Force, exchanging blows in the storm.

At some moments, they would catch glimpse of other speedsters running around but they wouldn't see the red and yellow blurs.

* * *

"I'm still faster, amigo." Bart Allen said, smiling at Clark Kent.

* * *

Wally West, Jesse Quick and Jay Garrick were each on their respective Earths, protecting their cities to honor Barry's legacy.

* * *

"You really think you can stop me this time, Barry? I'll always find a way to come back!" Thawne gloated as Barry chased him through the storm. Barry threw a punch but Thawne dodged and sent a blast of red lightning at Barry, sending him flying back but Barry recovered. "I'm the architect of your suffering. This didn't end with only your mother. I tampered with Wells's particle accelerator on Earth-2 to make sure Zoom was born. As for August Heart, where do you think he got the idea to experiment with tachyons before he became Godspeed?"

Barry glared hatefully, infuriated that Thawne was once again trying to control his life.

"Every moment of suffering, every loss, grief, all of it was you?" Barry realized.

"All up to this moment, Flash." Thawne said and Barry roared in rage, rushing at him, but Thawne sped away.

"You may have controlled my life but I'm not gonna let you have a hold of me anymore!" Barry yelled.

"It never ends, Barry. Our race never ends, don't you see? You and I… we're trapped in a loop. Death and rebirth, every time the universe is reborn, we are the one constant that never changes. Crisis after crisis and all you leave to your friends and love ones is grief and heartbreak." Thawne gloated. "Even if you end me here, we're destined to do this forever. A loop that never ends. Sooner or later, Cisco, Caitlin, Wells, Joe, Iris, Oliver, Kara, all your family and friends will suffer, no matter what you do. I told you, I am the one thing you can't stop, Flash."

Barry snarled in rage, running faster and grabbing Thawne in chokehold, about to snap his neck. "It ends here! It's over, Thawne!"

"Even if you kill me, I'll always find a way to come back. Do it. Kill me! Let's relive it all together again." Thawne gloated as they stopped.

Barry roared, about to snap Thawne's neck before he remembered a conversation he had with Oliver after he defeated Adrian Chase.

"No!" Barry yelled, letting go and also remembering when he tried to let go of his hate against Thawne, when he met Harry.

Suddenly, Thawne's Speed Force was emanating from him, fading into the air as he slowed down.

"My speed… what did you do?" Thawne demanded, glaring at Barry.

"I'm done." Barry said. "It's like you said, we're trapped in a loop, Thawne. And I'm done making the same mistakes over and over again. Letting you have a hold on my life. And I'm done going back and trying to fix my mistakes like a child instead of learning from them. I'm done blaming myself for the suffering of my friends and family. And it's all because I hate you. And there was a time I didn't want to hate you anymore… and I'm done."

"No. You don't get to forgive me! You don't get to let me go! I created you! You're nothing without me!" Thawne roared, rushing at Barry but was slowing down.

"I'm sorry you couldn't be me… but I'm done letting you or our history define me." Barry said.

"Our race never ends! Our hate is eternal!" Thawne shouted but suddenly, he was fading away as he ran through Barry and stopped, confused. "How…"

"I gave you a portion of my Speed Force, Thawne. The Negative Speed Force feeds on hate, anger and it feeds off the real Speed Force. But that one, it's a force of nature and I gave some of it to you." Barry explained.

"Are you insane? You could've severed our connection to our Speed Forces or even created annihilation by merging them!" Thawne yelled.

"Worth the risk. You're tethered to me now." Barry said.

"That means my Speed Force can't protect me from all the changes to the timeline… I was a living paradox…" Thawne realized before he started to disintegrate. "It resets me…"

"I know." Barry said as he sped off. "Goodbye, Thawne."

"Don't think this resets your past, Barry! Don't you dare turn your back on me! Don't run away from me! Barry!" Thawne yelled, trying to catch up with Barry as he was disintegrating and running in normal speed as he stopped and fell on his knees on what seemed to be the floor of the vast endless space of Speed Force as he reached out with his hand desperately. "No! Please! Come back! I can't be forgotten… please…" He was slowly being torn apart into particles until he faded away. "Nooooo!"

* * *

**_22nd century_ **

"Welcome to the Flash Museum. My name is Eobard Thawne. I'm your tour guide here." Thawne said, now wearing his normal face, which was a man of bulkier stature with combed hair and wearing formal uniform and addressing some visitors and accompanying them down the hall of the Flash's.

"Here we have the Flashes of various Earths and eras, such as Jay Garrick or Wally West but my favorite one is Barry Allen. For security purposes, the faces of their real identities have been erased from records." Thawne gestured to the holographic images of the mentioned speedsters.

"Professor Thawne, who is that speedster?" One of the guests gestured to a holographic image of a speedster in yellow suit and red and black lightning emblem on his chest.

"Excellent question. That is the Reverse-Flash. Now, most of the information on this villain in particular has been lost, his real name included, so I can't say that we'll ever know his identity. But what we do know is that he was the Flash's greatest enemy, who would torment him for years. One can only wonder how could such a vile, despicable individual with so much hate exist." Thawne explained before facing a brown-haired man in a leather jacket, who was at the door. "Hello, sir. Would you like to join the tour on the Flash?"

"Thanks for the offer but no need. I've been on it before. Though I needed to refresh my memory on this part in particular. Have a nice tour." The man said, waving his hand in a declining manner and Thawne smiled politely.

"Very well. Thank you. Have a nice day, sir." Thawne said as he continued the tour with the other guests, while Barry left and let out a sigh of relief.

But time had a nasty way of fighting back. One way or another, Thawne might find a way to learn of his villainous history and become Barry's archnemesis once again and when that day would come, he would be ready.

Barry left the museum and as soon as he was sure it was safe, he sped off and returned to his own time.

* * *

**_Present, CCPD_ **

Barry was finishing filing a report as he went downstairs and left it on Singh's desk. He turned his head and saw Iris entering as he smiled at her and she smiled back. Iris went towards his direction… and passed by him as she hugged a blonde man in a suit and kissed him on his cheek and Barry smiled at them happily.

"Hey, babe." Eddie said.

"Hey, Eddie." Iris said. "You coming for dinner at my Dad's tonight?"

"Yeah, sure. And you, Bar?" Eddie asked, turning to Barry.

"I'll be there." Barry said.

Barry was on his way out of the precinct, when he heard a familiar female voice on the radio.

" _We're pinned down! We need backup at Central City Bank, now!_ "

Barry observed Joe, Singh and other policemen gearing up before he discreetly left the precinct and then sped off.

* * *

**_Central City_ **

A group of officers were taking cover behind cruisers as Ultraviolet was firing UV blasts from her hands before the Flash sped in and dodged as Ultraviolet fired her UV blasts. The Flash engaged her and they exchanged few blows before the Flash put power-dampening cuffs on her hands, restraining her.

"It's back to Iron Heights for you, Esperanza." The Flash said before he turned his head towards a blonde detective, who was among the policemen who were trying to subdue Esperanza before the woman came to apprehend her.

"Thank you, Flash but we'll take it from here." Patty said.

"Always happy to help, Detective Spivot." The Flash said as they smiled at each other before the Flash sped off.

* * *

Barry, Patty, Joe, Iris, Cecile, Wally, Eddie, Harry, Jesse, Cisco, Caitlin, Ralph and Allegra were in the Wests' house, eating dinner as Barry and Patty smiled at each other briefly and held hands under the table. He had found his way back and everything was as it was supposed to be and for the first time in years… he felt truly happy.

**Author's Note:**

> In the aforementioned comic books, Thawne mentioned that he had orchestrated the villainous origins of Zoom and Godspeed, so it shouldn't really be surprising.
> 
> BTW, the Bart Allen and Clark Kent at the beginning were Smallville versions.
> 
> Plus, in comic books, in the future, in Thawne's time, they already knew that Barry was the Flash but the Reverse-Flash's real name was kept unrecorded, but in the show, they kept Barry's name a secret in the future and Thawne had to learn it on his own after becoming the Reverse-Flash and was on his quest to destroy Barry's life. Weird much?
> 
> Also, another thing that is completely stupid and shows that the show's version of Thawne, for someone who is from the future and smart, is an idiot. The only reason he got his speed was because of his obsession with the Flash. And yet, he comes into the past to kill Barry before he becomes the Flash and it doesn't occur to him that by that, he would lose his speed and wouldn't become the Reverse-Flash? It's a paradox, since the Reverse-Flash had been inspired by the Flash. Then again, the Arrowverse writers are morons, no surprise there.
> 
> Plus, as much as I dislike Iris, let's face it, she was better off with Eddie rather than Barry, since prior to finding out about the news article from the future and that her name would be 'Iris West-Allen' and the fact that on Earth-2 they were both married, Iris didn't even consider being in relationship with Barry at all, so let's face it, Iris was more in love with the idea of being with Barry as the Flash, rather than being in love with Barry, which shows that the relationship doesn't work.
> 
> Also, all the Wellses and Jesse dead, with the Wellses merging with Nash and ending up in his head was also stupid, could've had Oliver as the Specter bringing them and Earth-1 Laurel back but the writers are hacks and they always treated both versions of Laurel and the Canaries like crap, why show them respect now?
> 
> And I just love Barry being with Patty, since don't get me started on WestAllen. Any flames or accusations that I'm a racist, misogynist and etc. shall be ignored, since I'm not going to give a damn or waste my time on pathetic trolls, who just like to annoy people and make their lives miserable and apparently have nothing better to do than fulfill their pathetic empty lives by being harassing annoying jerks.
> 
> So, what do you guys think?
> 
> Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed this one-shot.
> 
> With regards
> 
> Bl4ckHunter


End file.
